Apparatus for laying pipe

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for laying pipe underground in a continuous process and usable with a heavy duty vehicle having a ditching plow attached thereto. The apparatus includes means for receiving lengths of pipe which are not positively connected together and forcing such lengths of pipe through the ditching plow in a manner that the pipe will remain in assembled relationship after such pipe has been laid.

United States Patent [1 1 [1 1 r 3,713,301

Bryant 1 Jan. 30, 1973 541 APPARATUS FOR LAYING PIPE 3,132,41 5/1964 Hait Hal/72.1 x lnvemorzl Tommy L. y PO. Box 655, 3,400,542 9/1968 Davis ..6l/72.6

Hereford 79045 Primary ExaminerJacob Shapiro [22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1970 Attorney-A. Yates Dowell and A. Yates Dowel], Jr.

[21] Appl. No.1 97,236 [57} ABSTRACT I Apparatus for laying pipe underground in a continuous process and usable with a heavy duty vehicle hav- [58] i "5 6 72 7 5 1 ing a ditching plow attached thereto. The apparatus Z includes means for receiving lengths of pipe which are not positively connected together and forcing such lengths of pipe through the ditching plow in a manner [56] Reterences Cited that the pipe will remain in assembled relationship UNITED STATES PATENTS after such pipe has been laid.

3,343,739 9/1967 Kinnan ..6l/72t6 X 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures mimwm 30 Ian SHEET 1 BF 3 N L a w I INVENTOR TOMMYABRYANT.

ATTORNEY] Pmmmmamm 3.713.301

SHEET 2 0F 3 II 4/ 1i 5/ 2.1 a! o 60 I I 40 I! 1 p: 66 6,4 if; I I k \A J4 74 z; V?

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SHEET 3 BF 3 INVENTOR TOMMY L BRYANT Y 47,8 4am 474 5, W 4 I ATTORNE 3 APPARATUS FOR LAYING PIPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to the laying of pipe or other elongated members below the surface of the earth, and relates particularly to apparatus for receiving lengths of pipe which are assembled in end-to-end relation on the surface of the earth and laying such pipe at a predetermined depth below the surface in a continuous operation.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore the laying of underground pipe of various sizes has been a complicated, time consuming, expensive operation in which a ditching machine has first dug a ditch after which lengths of iron or other metal pipe were placed at the bottom of the ditch and were positively connected together using gaskets and mechanical fasteners, as well as pouring molten lead in the joint, to prevent leakage and thereafter the ditch was filled with the earth that was removed therefrom. Some attempts have been made to expedite the laying of pipe by providing a relatively large ditching plow connected to a propelling vehicle and adapted to receive lengths of pipe which have been connected together by mechanical fasteners, adhesives and the like on the surface of the earth and to lay such pipe at a predetermined depth beneath the surface.

In recent years molded pipe of synthetic materials such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, the acrylics, nylon, and the like, which are not subject to oxidation and decomposition, have been found acceptable. However, the apparatus and process for laying the pipe has not been satisfactory. When a ditching machine has been used, the time and labor requirements have been excessive. When a ditching plow was used, the results were not satisfactory since a substantial strain in a longitudinal direction was applied to the pipe during the laying operation, especially as the pipe left the ditching plow, and the pipe frequently has cracked or separated, particularly at the joints or connections, which has caused leakage of the fluids within the pipes during subsequent use. In view of the fact that the cracks and separations have occurred underground, they have been difficult to locate and repair.

Since the synthetic material of the molded pipe sections is relatively stable, it has been found that the male end of one section of pipe could be inserted in the female or bell end of an adjacent pipe and held by friction along with one or more O-rings to prevent leakage. However, care must be exercised when the pipes are laid to make certain that the sections of pipe remain completely connected when the pipe is laid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a pipe laying apparatus for layinglplastic or other pipes in which one pipe is connected to an adjacent pipe byfrictional engagement therewith and with one or more O-rings to prevent leakage during subsequent use of the pipe. Thepipe sections are joined together in end-to-end relation on the surface of the earth and the end of the pipe is threaded through a pressure applying member carried by a propelling vehicle. A ditching plow is connected to the rear of the vehicle and the pipe is fed through the ditching plow so that such pipe can be laid underground without separating the pipe sections even though the sections of pipe are not positively connected together. The pressure applying means includes a pair of opposed drive wheels which frictionally engage the pipe and such drive wheels are rotated slightly faster than the forward speed of the vehicle so that a rearward thrust is applied to the pipe to prevent separation of the pipe sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus for applying lengthwise pressure to the pipe being laid.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation thereof.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation.

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continued reference to the drawings, a propelling vehicle 20 is provided having a ditching plow 21 connected to the rear thereof. Normally the ditching plow includes an elongated generally hollow body having side plates 22 spaced apart from each other and connected together by top and bottom walls with only the top wall 23 being shown. A breaker plow 24 is connected to the front of the side plates 22 and if desired a forwardly extending ripper shoe (not shown) may be connected to the lower portion of the breaker plow to break or displace rocks and other foreign objects in the path of movement of the plow. Preferably a chute or a plurality of pairs of rollers are mounted within the ditching plow 21 in a manner to guide a pipe 25 through the ditching plow and discharge such pipe from the lower trailing edge of the plow. The propelling vehicle pulls the ditching plow 21 through the earth; however, instead of removing earth from the path of travel, the ditching plow merely passes through the earth and deposits the pipe 25 at a predetermined depth below the surface of the earth and permits the earth to fill in behind the plow. As soon as the pipe is discharged from the lower trailing edge of the plow, the weight of the earth immediately is applied to the pipe to hold the pipe in fixed position. The structure thus far described is conventional and forms no part of the present invention.

In order to apply a rearward tension to the pipe 25, a pressure applying unit 28 is provided and such unit preferably is mounted on top of the propelling vehicle 20, as illustrated in FIG. I. The pipe 25 which has been assembled on the surface of the earth bends upwardly until it passes through the pressure applying unit 28 and then arches downwardly through a guide member 29 at the rear of the vehicle and then into the ditching plow 21. As the propelling vehicle moves along the surface of theearth, the pipe is raised, subjected to tension from the pressure applying unit, and discharged through the ditching plow in a continuous operation so that several miles of pipe can be laid within an eighthour period depending upon the speed at which the propelling vehicle can pull the ditching plow through the earth.

The pressure applying unit includes a fixed frame 30 having a yoke 31 constructed of spaced generally parallel upright members 32 connected by a lower cross member 33. Such yoke is supported above the vehicle 20 by an upright post 34. Each of the upright members 32 is providedwith an inwardly extending plate or support 35 adjacent its upper end and such plates are generally in alignment with each other. A substantially horizontally disposed bearing 36 is mounted on each of the plates 35 and in vertical alignment with bearings 37 mounted on the cross member 33. A roller 38 is rotatably mounted on a generally vertical axis between each set of bearings 36 and 37 in such a manner that the rollers are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the pipe 25.

A pair of spaced upper and lower bearings 39 and 40 are mounted on each of the upright members 32 with the bearings of one upright member being generally in horizontal alignment with the bearings of the other upright member. A pair of-rollers 41 are rotatably car ried by the upper and lower bearings 39 and 40 in parallel relation to each other. The spaced generally vertical rollers 38 and the spaced generally horizontal rollers 41 receive the pipe therebetween and guide the pipe as it is moved over the top of the propelling 'vehL cle.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, each section of pipe includes a female portion or bell 45 at one end which receives the opposite end or male portion 46 of an adjacent section of pipe. One or more O-rings 47 are located within the bell to prevent leakage during subsequent use of the pipe.

In order to apply a rearward tension to the pipe 25 to make certain that the male end 46 remains within the bell portion 45, a floating frame 48 is provided having a base 49 welded or otherwise attached to a cross member50 intermediate the ends of the base. The opposite ends of the cross member 50 are welded or otherwise attached to a pair of forwardly and upwardly extending arms 51, each of which is swingably mounted intermediate its ends on pivots 52 carried by the upright members 32 of the fixed frame 30. One end of a spring or other resilient member 53 is connected to the forward end of each of the arms 51, and the opposite end of such'spring is connected to an adjusting bolt 54 which passes through an opening in an anchor plate 55 attached to the fixed frame 30. The springs 53 apply a downward tension on the ends of the arms 51 and urge the floating frame 48 in an upward direction.

The rear end of the base 49 is provided with a generally U-shaped yoke member 56 including a cross member 57 to the opposite ends of which are welded or otherwise attached a pair of upstanding generally parallel side members 58. Each of the side members includes an elongated slot 59 in which a pair of horizontally disposed rollers 60are adjustably mounted. The pipe 25 passes between the rollers 60 and such rollers maintain the base 49 substantially parallel with the pipe at all times.

A pair of support arms 63 and 64 are swingably connected to a common pivot 65 mounted adjacent to one end of the base 49 and one of such arms extends outwardly toward one side of the vehicle and the other arm extends outwardly toward the other side of the vehicle.

Intermediate the ends of each of the arms 63 and 64 is mounted a hub 66 in which a shaft 67 is freely rotatably mounted. At the upper end of each of the shafts 67 is mounted a friction wheel 68 which can be of any desired construction but which preferably includes a pneumatic tire disposed in alignment with and adapted to frictionally engage the pipe 25 under a desired pressure.

As illustrated best in FIGS. 5 and 6, the friction wheels 68 are adapted to be driven at a surface peripheral speed slightly faster than the forward speed of the propelling vehicle. In order to-do this, a drive sprocket 69 is connected to the lower end of each of the shafts 67 and such drive sprockets are adapted to be driven from a common source to insure that the friction wheels are rotated at the same speed. In order to drive the sprockets at the same speed but in counterrotating directions, one of the sprockets engages a chain 70 driven by a sprocket 71 mounted on the output shaft of a fluid motor 72. If desired, an idler sprocket 73 can be adjustably mounted on the adjacent support arm to take up any slack in the chain 70. The other drive sprocket 69 engages a chain 74 which extends around a fixed idler sprocket 75 and an adjustable idler sprocket 76 and around a drive sprocket 77 mounted on the output shaft of the fluid motor 72.

The fluid motor 72 can be operated by either pneumatic or hydraulic fluid supplied under pressure from any desired source, such as the pneumatic or hydraulic system of the propelling vehicle, through inlet and return lines 78 and 79, respectively. However, it has been found that pneumatic fluid is preferred since a pneumatic fluidmotor will permit a greater degree of slippage within the motor itself and consequently will cause less wear on the friction wheels 68. Preferably the fluid under pressure supplied to the fluid motor 72 passes through a control valve 80 (FIG. 1) controlled by the operator of the propelling vehicle. If desired a pressure gauge 81 is connected to the inlet line 78 in a position easily visible by the operator of the propelling vehicle.

In order to cause the friction wheels 68 to apply a constant pressure on the pipe 25, each of the arms 63 and 64 is provided with an outwardly extending lug 82 having an opening which receives an adjusting bolt 83. A pair of springs 84 are provided with one end of each of the springs being connected to one of the adjusting bolts 83 and the opposite end of each of the springs being connected to a common anchor 85 carried by the base 49. The bolts 83 are adjusted so that the wheels 68 are urged against the pipe 25 under substantially equal pressure.

In the operation of the device, a plurality of pipe sections are placed on the surface of the earth and connected together in end-to-end relation by pushing the male end 46 into the bell 45 where it is held by the 0- rings 47. The pipe is fed through the pressure applying unit 28 and through the ditching plow 21, and the end of the pipe is connected in fixed position. Thereafter the propelling vehicle 20 is driven in a forward direction along the assembled lengths of pipe. When the vehicle moves forward, such vehicle pulls the ditching plow through the earth to lay the pipe at a predetermined depth below the surface and permit the earth to fill in behind the plow on top of the pipe. Since the pipe sections are joined together by frictional contact, a rearward force must be applied to the sections to prevent separation of the pipe sections at the joints. This is done by providing a pair of friction wheels on opposite sides of the pipe and rotating the wheels at a speed faster than the forward speed of the vehicle. The fluid motor 72 is driven at any desired speed by the operator of the propelling vehicle, and such fluid motor drives sprockets 71 and 77 which in turn drive the friction wheels 68 in counter-rotating directions. The springs 84 maintain the friction wheels 68 indirect frictional contact with the pipe under a constant tension so that such friction wheels will force the pipe rearward faster than the vehicle is moving forward. Since the friction wheels are being driven faster than movement of the pipe, any slippage will occur at the point of contact between the wheels and the pipe, as well as within the fluid motor 72. The rollers 38 and 41 on the fixed frame position the pipe relative to the propelling vehicle and the rollers 60 carried by the floating frame 48 maintain the friction wheels 68 in alignment with the pipe as the propelling vehicle moves over the surface of the earth.

I claim:

1. Pressure applying apparatus mounted on a propelling vehicle having a ditching plow and adapted to apply an axial rearward force to a substantially rigid pipe being laid underground, said apparatus comprising a first frame mounted on said vehicle, a second frame swingably mounted in a generally vertical plane on said first frame, pipe-engaging guide means carried by said second frame for swinging the same and maintaining said second frame in spaced vertical alignment with said pipe, a pair of friction drive wheels adjustably and rotatably mounted on said second frame, means for maintaining said wheels in frictional engagement with said pipe, means for driving said drive wheels in opposite directions at a speed faster than the forward speed of the vehicle, whereby rearward pressure is applied to the pipe as the vehicle is moving forward to force the pipe through the ditching plow.

2. The structure of claim 1 including guide means on said first frame for guiding the pipe between said friction drive wheels.

3. The structure of claim 1 including a pair of arms swingably mounted on said second frame, one of said friction drive wheels being carried by each of said arms, said means for driving said friction wheels including motor means mounted on said second frame and controllable by the operator of the vehicle.

4. Pressure applying apparatus mounted on a propelling vehicle and adapted to apply an axial rearward force to a pipe being laid underground, said apparatus comprising a fixed frame, guide means mounted on said fixed frame and adapted to position the pipe, a floating frame swingably mounted on said fixed frame, said floating frame including a base, a pair of arms swingably mounted on said base, a friction wheel rotatably mounted on each of said arms with said wheels being disposed on opposite sides of the pipe, adjustable resilient means connecting said arms to said base to cause said wheels to engage the pipe, guide means mounted on said base and engageable with the pipe for maintaining said base generally parallel with the pipe, adjustable resilient means at least partially supporting said floatin frame, and means for driving sai whee s at a speed aster than the movement of the vehicle, whereby the friction wheels will apply an axial force rearwardly along the pipe.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said arms are swingably mounted about-a common pivot on said base. 

1. Pressure applying apparatus mounted on a propelling vehicle having a ditching plow and adapted to apply an axial rearward force to a substantially rigid pipe being laid underground, said apparatus comprising a first frame mounted on said vehicle, a second frame swingably mounted in a generally vertical plane on said first frame, pipe-engaging guide means carried by said second frame for swinging the same and maintaining said second frame in spaced vertical alignment with said pipe, a pair of friction drive wheels adjustably and rotatably mounted on said second frame, means for maintaining said wheels in frictional engagement with said pipe, means for driving said drive wheels in opposite directions at a speed faster than the forward speed of the vehicle, whereby rearward pressure is applied to the pipe as the vehicle is moving forward to force the pipe through the ditching plow.
 1. Pressure applying apparatus mounted on a propelling vehicle having a ditching plow and adapted to apply an axial rearward force to a substantially rigid pipe being laid underground, said apparatus comprising a first frame mounted on said vehicle, a second frame swingably mounted in a generally vertical plane on said first frame, pipe-engaging guide means carried by said second frame for swinging the same and maintaining said second frame in spaced vertical alignment with said pipe, a pair of friction drive wheels adjustably and rotatably mounted on said second frame, means for maintaining said wheels in frictional engagement with said pipe, means for driving said drive wheels in opposite directions at a speed faster than the forward speed of the vehicle, whereby rearward pressure is applied to the pipe as the vehicle is moving forward to force the pipe through the ditching plow.
 2. The structure of claim 1 including guide means on said first frame for guiding the pipe between said friction drive wheels.
 3. The structure of claim 1 including a pair of arms swingably mounted on said second frame, one of said friction drive wheels being carried by each of said arms, said means for driving said friction wheels including motor means mounted on said second frame and controllable by the operator of the vehicle.
 4. Pressure applying apparatus mounted on a propelling vehicle and adapted to apply an axial rearward force to a pipe being laid underground, said apparatus comprising a fixed frame, guide means mounted on said fixed frame and adapted to position the pipe, a floating frame swingably mounted on said fixed frame, said floating frame including a base, a pair of arms swingably mounted on said base, a friction wheel rotatably mounted on each of said arms with said wheels being disposed on opposite sides of the pipe, adjustable resilient means connecting said arms to said base to cause said wheels to engage the pipe, guide means mounted on said base and engageable with the pipe for maintaining said base generally parallel with the pipe, adjustable resilient means at least partially supporting said floating frame, and means for driving said wheels at a speed faster than the movement of the vehicle, whereby the friction wheels will apply an axial force rearwardly along the pipe. 